The Jotarri Circle
The Jotarri Circle was a political organization and conspiracy within the Imperium that was originally formed to combine the defensive forces of many planets against an Ork WAAAAGH. In the light of completely inadequate Imperial defenses, the Circle rose in independence from the Imperium, but was cast down after fierce fighting. History Founding The Circle was founded by Tolan Orr, governor of the wealthy planet of Jotarr. An Ork WAAAAGH bore down on his sector, and in the wake of completely inadequate Imperial Defenses, he formed a coalition of worlds to stave off the Invaders. After four years of grinding combat involving millions of guardsmen and Jotarri militia, and attracting the attention of detachments from two Space Marine chapters, the Sea Wolves and the Winter Knights. The Orks were defeated and Tolan set about consolidating his power, using political backstabbery and plain intimidation to sway worlds to his cause. Two decades after the Circle's formation, it had 98 member worlds and access to significant military and economic resources. A private army of militia and a self-deployed fleet of voidships defended the area from Xenos and the heretic. Politcal Minefield The rapid rise of the Jotarri circle led to an increase in suspicion of their activities. Two inquisitors separately began to investigate the circle for traitorous operations, but beyond maintaing an unusually large standing army they were clean. The Inquisitors remained on Jotarr and Sharok to monitor the circle. Meanwhile, rival Imperial factions were trying their best to discredit and destroy the circle. It was this outright hostility that pushed Tolan to consider outright traitorous action against the Imperium. The Push Having now swayed the loyalty of over 300 worlds, the Tolan believed he was strong enough to defeat local Imperial forces and declare independence. He moved quickly, razing the outposts of the local loyalist imperials, and utterly destroying two regiments of loyalist guardsmen. He smashed the Imperial battle fleet in garrison above Jotarr before it could bring it's guns on his palace, and captured six ships for his steadily growing armada. He then expanded outward, capturing two critical forge-worlds, and hundreds of partially constructed voidships. Then he secured his borders, and awaited the Imperial counterattack. The Final Battle The Imperials struck slowly, but they attacked fiercely, taking several frontier worlds and retaking one of the lost forge worlds (with the assistance of local adepts mechanics forces.) After two years of grinding, slogging warfare the Circle had been pushed back on every front, despite the horrendous casualties it inflicted on the attacking Imperials. The arrival of the Sea Wolves and Winter Knights chapters sealed the fate of the traitors, as the space marines effortlessly sliced through their defenses and besieged Jotarr itself. After a fierce, six day void battle Imperial forces landed on Jotarr and fought their way through miles of spire cities, taking grievous casualties from tenacious defenders. After two months of this, half of Jotarr was taken and the battle had devolved into a slugging fest between the Jotarri militia and the guardsmen. Strong entrenchment and good positions allowed the militia to exact a terrible toll on the guardsmen as they advanced, even as Space Marines charged into the teeth of traitor fire to engage the militia in close combat. Meanwhile, in the void the rest of the Jotarri ships had formed a last-ditch armada numbering almost 300 ships, (9 of them battleships). They engaged the massive Imperial fleet in a running battle, diverting their forces and distracting them, and slowing the advance on the ground. However, after nine months of stalemate the Imperials cornered the Jotarri fleet and nearly completely destroyed it, only twelve ships (one battleship, 3 cruisers and assorted escorts) managed to blast their way through the Imperial lines and jump to the warp. They then became an extremely accomplished pirate band, plaguing the Imperium for decades to come. Through all of this, the Jotarri Militia were doggedly holding back the Guardsmen on the ground. Each inch of ground was paid for in blood as the loyalists surged over defensive barriers even as heavy bolters cut bloody furrows in the enemy ranks. Horrifying house to house, close quarters combat ensued, with every room having to be fastidiously cleared as traitors emerged in ambush to slay the guardsmen. Finnaly, the guardsmen breached the main enemy defensive line after 26 days of continuous assault, suffering a 89 percent casualty ratio. However, the exhausted guardsmen were too exhausted and depleted to exploit the gap. This fell to the Space Marines. The Sea Wolves and Winter Knights surged over the beleaguered defenders in a avalanche of steel and bolter fire. Those two same chapters had once defended this grand hall from the predations of Orks, they now immolated it's proud banners and ancient relics. They engaged Orr's personal guard of Ogryn and heavy infantry, cutting through them in a fierce, three hour battle. Only six marines (including acting chapter master of the sea-wolves, Eadmyn Steele) of the 100 that were sent managed to break into the throne room. There stood Tolan with his principal supports, and the final battle was fought there. Steele slew Orr personally, and the other Circle leaders were sequentially slain as well. Notable Members Tolan Orr Leader of the the Jotarri Circle, lord governor of Jotarr. Traitor. Dead, slain by acting chapter master Eadmyn Steele. Orson Tors Right hand man of Orr, killed by unnamed Terminator. Victoria Tall Wife of Orr, executed. Ethan Jak High-ranking circle member, commander of all military forces. Killed on the front lines during the battle of Jotarr. Notable Member Worlds Jotarr A rich hive world situated on crowded trade routes. History wiped and renamed to Hero's Grave. Ato A powerful forge-world, taken by the traitors. Eventually returned to the Imperium. Elyxia A stubborn traitor world that held years after Jotarr fell. Eventually resorted to Chaos to drive off the Imperium. Status: Exterminatus. Kaelo An agri-world swayed by the circle, first battles inside Circle territory fought here. Sharok A pseudo-fortress world on the Borders of the Circle to protect Jotarr. Fell after a fierce battle. Others In it's heyday, the circle was composed of over 300 hundred planets, many of them agri-worlds. Campaigns Ork WAAAGH The original catalyst for the formation of the circle, the orks were soundly defeated after fierce combat with the assistance of the Sea Wolves and (approval pending) chapters of Space Marines. Chaos Cultists A minor party of chaos warriors attacked the palace on Jotarr, catching the garrison completely by surprise and lasting for a few hours before being exterminated. In those few hours the cultists broke into the palace and slew Tolan's only son, a four year old child. Enraged, Tolan proceeded to cut a bloody swath through the cultists. This is one of the reasons Tolan never resorted to Chaos in his war against the Imperium . War against the Imperium The Circle rose against the Imperium in a wave of blood, obliterating most of the loyalist elements in their 300 or so planets. There was minor resistance, notably from an Adeptus Arbites compound that took two months to crack (It turned out that an inquistor and his retinue were inside the compound), the head of a detachment of loyal Cadian Stormtroopers that launched a guerrilla campaign with the help of two squads of Catachans. This would prove to be a major thorn in the side of traitors on that planet. Initial battles with the Imperium went well, and the Circle captured a dozen worlds, including two vital forge worlds. They massacred poorly organized PDF regiments and easily cut through Skitarii. With the Imperium at it's heels, the Circle continued to push forward before being cornered and slaughtered on the Planet Jevi. The Imperial Guards penned in almost ten million militiamen on the planet surface, while in the void massive battleships fought ruthlessly for control of the skies. Eventually the Jotarri fleet was forced to retreat and the Militia on the surface were inexoraby massacred. Even in death, they tied up considerable Imperial Resources, and lasted for months inflicting horrendous casualties on the Guards. When the last few bunkers and trenches had been cleared, the Guards made a tally of their losses. 17 million guardsmen dead, along with another 5 million too wounded to fight further. Inside the MIlitia lines, they counted almost 10 million bodies. This marked the end of the Jotarri expansion, and the beginning of their decline. Siege of Sharok The Circle had immensely fortified the planet of Sharok, on the borders of the Circle to defend against attack. When the first Imperial ships arrived in the system, they were encountered by accurate laser fire and a strong void blockade. The Imperials plowed straight through the blockade, launching gunships and transports as they plunged through the fire and death of space. Imperial forces that landed on the planet found themselves disorganized and assailed on all sides, because the planet was heavily garrisoned. Many Imperial detachments were wiped out as soon as they landed. This success was due to the strategy the Jotarri were using in Sharok's defense. They combined static bulwark defenses to hold critical locations with fast, hard hitting squads of jet troopers, valkyrie drop squads, and plain Chimera squadrons. This allowed them to attack the Imperials as they landed, and stopped them from assembling into a coherent force. However, after 16 hours of combat the Imperials managed to carve out a beachhead in the far north of the planet. There they worked down, taking the small cities in fierce battles. Every inch of ground was fought for, as hidden snipers and ambushes were common. Finnaly, after six fierce months of combat, the Jatorri launched a counterattack, swooping around the main enemy force and attacking their camp, at first it seemed like a victory, but the Guard quickly reorganized and surrounded the now isolated militia. The Militia inside the gap were killed off in a intense, six hour battle. Finnaly, after much more time spent on annhilating the last few static bulwarks, the guard had taken the planet. Final Defeat Powers and Resources Ground Forces Miltia The Jotarri Militia was a well equipped and trained force of determined humans, for the most part untouched by the perversions of chaos. An inquistor would later describe their quality as, somewhere between a guardsman and a stormtrooper. Supplied by their captured forge-world, and given vehicles and artillery by the two armory worlds within the Cirlce was the Militia was a formidable force Indeed. Tanks and Artillery The Circle plundered the stores of two armory worlds, and used most of the production of a forge world for an extended period. This provided them with a wide assortment of armored vehicles of all denominations. Ancient and obsolete tanks thundered the life as the Jotarri desperately requisitioned every last armored vehicle. Void Fleet The Circle secretely constructed and maintained a significant force of ships, along with their legally acquired escorts, garrison, and pirate-hunters. Moreover, the Circle seized hundreds of ships from the forge-worlds they captured. This lent them a significant (if somewhat disorganized) force of void ships. Politcal Influence The circle consists of some extremely powerful individuals, with inroads with the most powerful of the rogue traders, high lords, eccesiarchy and exceptional powerful regional governors. Before their independence was declared they used this influence to acquire more resources. Category:Groups Category:Destroyed Category:Imperium